


hollywood, you turn me on

by hopefulundertone



Category: All Time Low
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff, M/M, Movie AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-22
Updated: 2015-09-22
Packaged: 2018-04-22 20:09:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4848851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hopefulundertone/pseuds/hopefulundertone
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>And then a lanky boy is pushed into the seat opposite him, dressed in a Blink-182 shirt and ripped black jeans, and all he can think is, holy shit. The boy shoots him an easy grin, hair sticking up all over the place with a blonde streak dyed through it, and Alex's heart snaps into his throat. The assistant director is announcing something or the other about chatting normally and ignoring the actors at the front of the house, but Alex isn't listening anymore, instead leaning forward and bracing his elbows on the table. "Hey, I'm Alex. You like Blink?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	hollywood, you turn me on

**Author's Note:**

> based on the au idea: two extras have to sit across from each other and pretend to converse at a restaurant on the set of a movie. but the fake conversation turns to real conversation and they are really into each other and the director calls cut because they are distracting from the actual characters who are supposed to be the ones making eyes and looking like they’re falling in love, not a couple of random extras

“Okay, next scene is scene 82, has a real meet-cute vibe, so turn up the charm, we want the people going “aw” throughout the entire thing." The two actresses playing the main characters quickly start discussing, occasionally glancing up to ask the director this or that. It's the set of a local romance movie filmed in his hometown, the kind Alex has a secret soft spot for, but he'd never admit. It does mean he can't tell any of his friends or anything, but just the knowledge he's in one of these, albeit as an extra, is enough for him. Plus, it comes with some cash and somewhere warm to stay other than his house, so he's more than happy with it. The assistant director bustles over to the extras, and chooses a few, including, to his surprise, Alex. He doesn't really exude the kind of aura you'd want in a meet-cute, scruffy and unkempt, but still the assistant director beckons pompously. "Come on, boy." Alex thinks it's a bit rich calling him boy when the assistant director's only a few years older than him and a lot more pimply, but he doesn't say anything, just following along as they're led to a coffee shop set, complete with varnished wood furniture. He's herded to the back and told to sit, so he does, watching the rest shuffle into place.

And then a lanky boy is pushed into the seat opposite him, dressed in a Blink-182 shirt and ripped black jeans, and all he can think is, holy shit. The boy shoots him an easy grin, hair sticking up all over the place and a blonde streak dyed through it. Alex's heart snaps into his throat, but he swallows, smiling back. The assistant director is announcing something or the other about chatting normally and ignoring the actors at the front of the house, but Alex just isn't listening anymore, instead leaning forward and bracing his elbows on the table. "Hey, I'm Alex. You like Blink?"

"Hell yeah, dude, they're awesome. I'm Jack."

They hit it off pretty quickly, continuing to talk through the entire time the crew is setting up. Alex learns he's also into Green Day and Nirvana, and falls just a little bit more in love. There's a pause when the main actors get into position and the cameras start rolling, but eventually they get back into the groove of their conversation, which bounces from music to school to family and so on. By the time the director yells "Cut!", Alex is thoroughly charmed, and after the first take, they keep talking throughout, whether or not the cameras are on. He learns a lot about Jack; that he's only here for the cash, that he has “mad guitar skills”, and that he's Lebanese. When Alex tells him he was born in England, Jack laughs loud enough to get a dirty look from the director and a few choice hisses from the assistant director, but the cameras aren't filming, so it's fine. Jack rolls his eyes pointedly, "Fuckin' hate that guy. He's so full of himself." Alex agrees again, and they share a grin.

After a short break, the director announces the filming of the final few takes, and everyone takes their places. "5,4,3..." He gestures the last two numbers and then the main actors begin talking. Alex isn't really paying attention anymore, his eyes are fixed on Jack and his lopsided grin as their conversation drifts back to music. He gathers up the courage, bites his lip, and asks the question preying on his mind since he learnt Jack could play lead. "Would you want to, like, be in a band? Me and my friends, Zack and Rian, were thinking about starting one." Jack looks surprised for a second, but then he grins back at Alex. "Sure, dude."

They sit there grinning like a pair of idiots at each other for a minute, almost missing the director yelling, "Cut!" They even miss the director pointing at them and whispering to the assistant director. They don't, however, miss the assistant director bustling over to them and beckoning imperiously. "The director wants to talk to you." Alex wants to protest; they're not doing anything they weren't told to, but they follow anyway. Jack nudges Alex, looking mildly concerned at his worried expression. "Maybe this is our big break. They're gonna replace those amateurs with the real talent." It gets a smirk from Alex, at least. Everybody turns to look at them, and Alex flushes a dark red; he can feel his cheeks grow hot as the assistant director pushes them towards the director. Alex had thought he was a cool dude, but that was definitely before he put apologetic hands on their shoulders. "Sorry, boys. There's only one romance that's supposed to be happening on screen right now, and that's them. Another just directs the attention away from them, you feel? Don't worry about it, you'll still get paid and everything." The assistant director herds them away, ignoring Jack's loud "What the fuck?", and practically shoving them at the exit.

They step out of the filming site, breath steaming in the cold air, and Alex scoffs awkwardly to cover up the fact that clearly, his massive fucking crush is obvious to anyone with eyes. "What a fucking douchebag." Jack hums in agreement and they start walking, aimlessly wandering down the street.

"But, I mean, he wasn't totally off." Jack's voice wavers just a bit, tone carefully neutral, and Alex just. He can't believe his ears. In his peripheral vision, his shoulders hunch a little, and Alex realises he’s fallen silent, and quickly hastens to say something, anything that’ll validate Jack’s statement. "Pretty accurate." Jack shoots him a smile, and they bump shoulders as they walk further down, towards the bus stop."So, wanna get dinner?"

The delighted grin Jack shoots him makes his entire fucking life.

 

-

 

_hey babe wanna watch a movie_

Alex's phone buzzes and he glances down at it, grinning at the message.

_sure when?_

_seven?_

_cool_

He smiles fondly and checks the time; a little past six. After that first day, they'd spent the rest of the winter hanging out at each other's houses, playing video games and listening to records, even occasionally having loud arguments about whether Blink or Green Day was better now and then (read: every time they listened to either band). A few false starts later, their band idea even kicked off, and they were pretty good, Alex had to admit, good enough to play a few garage concerts or fundraisers at school now and then. Their relationship had its ups and downs, but all in all, his life was fucking amazing.

At around seven, there's a loud blare from the driveway and Alex leaves the house with a hurried goodbye to his mom. Jack's car is thrumming with a bass line, one that he recognises as First Date. For a supposed punk rocker, Alex thinks, Jack's a serious sap.

_"When you smile, I melt inside, I'm not worthy for a minute of your time..."_

A few lines escape as he yanks open the car door, sliding inside with practiced ease and leaning over to kiss Jack over the console. He’s about to ask what movie they’re watching when Rock Show comes on, and he knows they won’t be talking for the rest of the ride. Sure enough, by the time they pull into the parking lot, they’re both singing loudly, ignoring the dirty looks anyone in half a mile’s radius are shooting them. Still, his question is answered the moment they walk into the mall, where the posters are plastered across walls and hanging from ceilings. He hasn’t thought about the movie since last year, but the memories are flooding back, and he can’t stop grinning as they walk into the cinema.

It’s pretty good for a locally produced film, Alex will admit. Plot-wise, it’s an interesting enough story, two girls that keep meeting at different places and different points in their life and start falling in love, and he likes the message it sends, but a hint of resentment still lingers. Was it really necessary to kick them off the set? As if to taunt him, that exact scene comes on, the main character entering the coffee shop, and-

“Oh my god, dude. They kept it in, we’re in the background!” He doesn’t need Jack’s excited whisper to tell him, he’s already staring in awe at the screen. Blurry but unmistakable, there they are, Jack with the ever-present blond streak through his hair and Alex in his hoodie and black jeans, leaning towards each other and talking animatedly, and he finally realises what the director was talking about; they look for all the world like they’re really in love. In center screen, the main characters smile shyly at each other over their coffee cups, and Alex wonders for a split second what it’s like to have a cute, lovey-dovey relationship like that. The next moment, he laughs at himself. He’s never been the type, loves fast, fierce, fun, pushing boundaries; he’d probably get bored in no time. Jack presses a smile into his cheek. “Hey, wanna be that couple that makes out in the back of the cinema?”

Alex doesn’t waste time replying.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> hope you enjoyed!


End file.
